


Getting to Know You

by MoonlitMidnight



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Domestic Fluff, F/F, F/M, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Past Abuse, Past Drug Use, Technically 7+1 Things, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21537922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlitMidnight/pseuds/MoonlitMidnight
Summary: Seven times the ladies of Ocean’s 8 learned something new About Lou Miller and the one time she revealed something to them.
Relationships: Amita (Ocean's)/Original Male Character(s), Constance & Lou Miller (Ocean's), Constance & Nine Ball, Daphne Kluger/Rose Weil, Lou Miller/Debbie Ocean, Nine Ball/Tammy (Ocean's)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 159





	1. Constance

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first Ocean's 8 fic and I'm super excited to share it! The second I saw the movie I was obsessed with its cast and knew eventually I'd have to use the world of fan fiction as a way to explore the possible storylines and background information of the very intriguing characters. Most of these little shots are a result of my attempt at writing a full blow fic. That may come out eventually if I can get my shit together. Idk lol. 
> 
> Lou's my favorite character and I am a Cate stan so I couldn't help but want to explore Lou's her past first. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Lou Miller was a mysterious lady to say the least. 90% of the little family they’d found through the Toussaint heist had worked with Lou before or at the least had known of her for some time. But only one person seemed to actually _know_ her.

Of course, there were things a person could learn through extended exposure. Through ‘observations’: like how she liked her coffee, her deep dislike for eggs, or the fact that she loved anything that had chocolate in it. But that was the surface level stuff. Stuff anyone could notice by spending more than a few minutes with her. Constance felt that after all this time (truthfully it had really only been what—six months—but it felt like forever. It felt like she should at least know the woman’s favorite color or something—damn) they all should know Lou a little better by now.

The only person who seemed to have the encyclopedia on all things Lou Miller was Debbie Ocean. Of course. 

On one hand, it was super cute how Lou didn’t have to say anything to get what she needed, not just what she wanted. On the other hand, the curious to a fault part of Constance—the part that got her in trouble waaaay too many times as a kid—wanted to know more. But she was smart enough and self aware of her naturally obnoxious and slightly clumsy nature around those she trusted, to know she couldn’t do it alone. One of the things she’d learned in this little adventure was that working with a team was the key to the success of a huge heist. And unearthing the layers of Lou Miller was _almost_ harder than infiltrating the Met and taking some of the most expensive diamonds in the world. Almost.

She started with recruiting Nine Ball. Duh. She was their resident badass hacker and most likely the second smartest person the loft—because they all knew under all that pretty Lou was a fucking genius.

It had been during one of their usual lulls. When Nine was raiding the pantry for snacks right before opening her bar/who-the-fuck-knows. All that mattered was that the place was awesome. Constance tiptoed into the kitchen. Across the island, Nine was going through the savory section of the pantry (because Tammy was such a fucking mother and had to color code and organize literally everything).

“Hey Nine—Can I enlist you in something? Like, something super important and totally worth it?”

Constance could see Nine’s eyebrow raise in suspicion. She knew that Constance’s worst and best plans started with that phrase. But she couldn’t gauge without more information which side of the spectrum this particular plan was one. She squinted at the younger woman, snatched the Cheese-Itz, a family size pack of Funions and a small package of Oreos before turning fully around. “Tell me more.” She demanded.

Constance gave a smirk and let out a laugh reminiscent to that of an evil genius. “How would you like to be one of the few people in this world to know more about our resident Badass Dad—Lou Miller? ”

Nine snorted. Even with her extensive knowledge and intelligence she knew it would be virtually impossible to learn anything about the woman. She raised an eyebrow. “How exactly do you plan on doin’ that? Please feel free to enlighten me wit your master plan.”

Constance rubbed her hands together as she prepare herself to tell the long winded plan she’d been concocting over the past few hours. Unfortunately for them, they weren’t the only ones in the mood for snacks. On top of that, it seemed the person who just had to have her fix of Twizzlers was Lou. Constance clammed up immediately, her mouth naturally snapping shut as the tall blonde strutted into the kitchen as if it were her own personal fashion show.

She wore an oversized shirt and a pair of boxers. Even in her bare feet she was the tallest of them all, but she didn’t look down at them in a way that was condescending. Only in a way that was necessary.

“Pass me the goods please.” She simply asked. Nine didn’t even flinch as she reached behind Constance to grab the only junk food Lou would consider worth it. Internally, Constance congratulated both herself (for choosing the perfect accomplice. The first of many surely, but the perfect first choice) and Nine for developing such an unbothered attitude.

“You want a ginger beer to go wit that?” Nine asked. Lou gave her a raised eyebrow of intrigue.

“I thought no-one was allowed to have those but you? Which—by the way—is really fucking stupid considering this is my loft but whatever.”

“I’ll make an acceptation for you. Just this one time though. And for the record—I put restrictions on _my_ ginger beer because it’s a bitch and a half to smuggle the good stuff here. So, unless you pay me twice what it’s worth you can fuck off.” Lou only laughed as the woman turned to grab a bottle from the bottom shelf. Her hand lingered over a second one. “Should I grab another one for Debbie?” She asked with a smirk.

Lou smirked back and shook her head. The bottle was slid across the kitchen island. Lou caught it, gave a small salute, before heading back to her room and most likely back to Debbie. Constance and Nine shared a look.

“Our first meeting is at the pizza place around the corner. Tomorrow at noon.” Constance said.

Nine nodded and with one more shared look they went their separate ways.

———-

The meeting was a successful one, but not exactly fruitful. As it turned out, finding information about a woman named Lou Miller—when no-one was actually sure that was her name or how old she was—was difficult. Nine dedicated all her time to researching while Constance tried her hand at field work. She was a skilled pick pocketer after all, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find out _something_ about Lou. They lived in her loft after all. Finding something of personal value that wasn’t too obtrusive couldn't be that difficult.

The answer came completely on accident.

The loft was mostly empty that day, which was an uncommon occurrence even with Daphne’s work and Rose’s new atelier opening in London, not to mention Tammy’s family. But, today everyone was either working, on their way to work or doing something unspecified but most likely important thing. (*cough cough* _Debbie Ocean_ *cough cough*)

So today, it was just Constance and Lou. Lou was taking her weekly day off from her bar and Constance editing her youtube videos because she didn’t trust anyone else but Nine to do them. Just as she’d gotten half way through her vlog about the day she’d been invited to a fashion show, a husky voice called from upstairs.

“Connie! Can you come help me?!” Lou yelled. Her accent was thick in that moment, and Constance had no choice but to let her curiosity guide her up to the sound of Lou’s voice. She was in ‘her’ room—which really was her and Debbie’s room at this point. From the doorway, Constance could see one of Debbie’s kimonos resting on the back of a chair. In the middle of the floor though, sat Lou. Her tall and lean frame bent into a deceptively small shape. Her hair was pulled up, and she wore no makeup. When she heard Constance’s footsteps stop before the door she looked up and gave her a smile.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything love. If you’re busy you can leave me to my pity party.” She simply said.

“I’m not busy. What’s up?” Constance replied, taking a wary step inside. For as long as she’d been living here she’d never actually been inside. It was nice. Understated with a few items that would have been gaudy if not for the fact they were in Lou Miller’s possession. The bed was huge—so huge it swallowed the room really—and a vanity sat in the corner. It looked in messier then she would have expected.

Lou chuckled and eased her way to a standing position. “Ignore the mess. A new wardrobe’s coming in, but I realized a little too late there’s no room for it. Fear not, I’m gonna move a few of my unpacked boxes into the storage room. It’ll take me forever to do it with my old lady body. You willing to help me? I’ll buy you lunch.”

Constance considered the proposition for a moment.

On one hand, she wasn’t one for physical labor. She hated it actually. But this could be an opportunity in disguise. So she nodded her head despite the internal wails that accompanied the idea of doing anything physical.

The boxes were light and the storage room was only down the hall. (Realistically the ‘storage room’ was Debbie’s old room. At some point in time everyone in their little make shift family had dumped something in there either on accident or because of lack of space, so it made sense for the place to become the designated storage room) The problem was that Lou insisted they not only be placed in the storage room, but for them to be firmly taped up and marked with her name. Constance wanted to scream, but she held back just barely.

She’d thank herself for that later.

Half way through the large pile, Lou took a smoke break. Apparently, she was less happy about physical work that Constance was and had been holding from smoking since the first five minutes of their quest. She stepped out onto the balcony, leaving Constance on the floor of the bedroom with a gatorade in hand and a heaping lap full of regret. Until she saw it.

A picture. An innocuous picture, sticking out of the corner of one of the more worn boxes. Constance’s instincts screamed at her to pick it up. To at least get a glimpse at whatever it was Lou was keeping in these boxes. Her thieving instincts were begging her to just snatch it before Lou came back, but the part of her that was self aware and held the tiniest bit of self preservation paused.

But the pause didn’t last for long.

She reached forward and snatched the picture up as quickly and as gently as she could. The plan had been originally to run to the bathroom to look it over, but after catching a glimpse of the adorable little face on the front Constance was frozen.

It was weird to think of the badass, proficient criminal Lou Miller as a little girl. Well, realistically every one was that young at some point—but it was weird to think of _Lou_ as anything other than _Lou._ But there she was. Smiling up at the camera as she sat on a beach, her bright blue eyes squinting up as the sun hit her face. Her hair was naturally a dirty blonde apparently and wild. The freckles all over her face and shoulders were ones Constance had never seen before, but the look on her face was familiar. She’d know the glint in tthose eyes anywhere. There was a cadence to them that spoke of mischief. Even at that young age. On the back, in beautiful handwriting, a name was written.

_Anna-Louise Gardenia Miller, age 6. Jed’s Birthday Beach Bash_

She wondered who had written that. Who in Lou’s life had taken the picture and so carefully written her name and age on the back? Were there more than one of those type of pictures in these boxes? How many more? Who was Jed? And what would the other picturesreveal of the Australian goddess’ past?

Someone cleared their voice behind Constance. She nearly jumped a mile high and abruptly dropped the picture. Lou stood there with scowl on her face. Her steel blue eyes screamed danger. She snatched the picture up from the ground. “You make a habit of going through people’s things?” She questioned.

“I mean—that’s kind of why I’m here. But, I didn’t do it this time on purpose. It fell out of one of the boxes. I couldn’t help but pick it up—I was just curious.” She was beginning to ramble and at this rate if Lou didn’t interrupt her there was a high chance she'd spill the beans of the whole operation. She was good under pressure when the target wasn’t Lou Miller.

She took a moment to respond, but when she did Constance almost wished she’d been chewed out. The actual response was somehow worse. “You know what they say about cats and curiosity love. If you don’t wanna end up six feet under I suggest you stop sticking your nose in places they don’t belong. Especially places concerning me.” The woman said. Her words weren’t a threat—oddly enough. They came out as more of a sad admission. Her entire being seemed to sag as her eyes filled with unshed tears. She shook them off and spoke again. “Make yourself useful if you’re so curious.”

She cleared her throat as she passed the box to Constance.They transported the rest of the boxes in silence and when the last box was placed and taped Constance nearly ran out of the loft.

She called Nine immediately and relayed the news. With Lou’s full name, there was so much more that could be learned. And despite the sadness in the older woman’s face, Constance had a burning desire to _know._ Little did she know, she wasn’t the only one.


	2. Tammy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you to all who commented and read the first chapter, I appreciate it so much! My posting schedule is a little all over the place because of the holiday coming up but I should be able to find a rhythm soon. I hope you enjoy!

Tammy shuffled around the living room of Lou’s loft, adjusting pillows and placing down comfy blankets.“Tam-Tam please stop mothering. You’re off duty— so please stop acting like you’re not.”Debbie begged in a pleading voice as she plopped down on the couch. Everyone knew by now that Lou would take the place beside her, so they made themselves comfortable everywhere but beside Debbie.

Constance was laying down in front of the huge TV that took up the entire wall. She was surrounded by a number of pillows and wrapped up in a fluffy blanket. Nine sat with her back up against the couch, beside the spot Tammy knew was reserved for her. Daphne was of course cuddled up with Rose on a loveseat, sharing one extremely plush blanket. Amita sat on the seat beside them, her lap already full of a bowl of popcorn that was half empty and tissues just in case. The only person missing was Lou, who was running late as a result of some unexpected traffic.

She’d just gotten off the phone with Debbie to tell her she was close.

Tammy rolled her eyes. “I’m never actually free of mom duty—and you know that. Especially not when you all insist on acting like children. Besides, I don’t mind. It gives me something to do that isn’t potentially illegal.” She snickered. She plopped herself down on the spot behind Nine just in time.

The door flew open, and Lou stalked in. She had her sunglasses on despite the lateness of the day and she didn’t even bother to look over at them, she only stalked up the steps and closed her door with surprising gentleness considering her mood.

Debbie cocked an eyebrow at her behavior. Tammy felt Nine perk up to attention beside her. Constance did the same, craning her neck to look up at the blonde’s door.

In the end it was Tammy who broke the silence. “You think she’s alright?” She asked Debbie.

“I think she’s changing. If she doesn’t come back down in a few minutes I’ll check on her. You can start the movie if you want, I don’t think she’ll mind.”

Amita—their resident holder of the remote—hesitated but after a few very vocal complaints from Constance and Daphne, she shrugged and pressed play. After fifteen minutes, Lou didn’t seem to be coming down.

During a lull is when they heard it: The sound of someone violently retching. They all flinched at the sound.

“Is that—that can’t be Lou.” Constance uttered.

“Who the hell else is upstairs in her bathroom then? Maybe she drank too much or ate something spoiled at the bar.” Daphne suggested. They could all tell she didn’t believe what she was saying. They all looked to Debbie for answers.

Debbie shook her head no but didn’t explain further. She didn’t speak as she got up from the couch and began the trek upstairs. “Keep watching the movie guys. I’m sure this won’t take too long.” They all stared up at her as she ascended the stairs and made her way to the room. As she entered their room one more long, agonized retch echoed before she shut the door.

————-

An hour later Debbie flew out of the room with a panicked look on her face. She looked haggard, with her hair pulled into a messy bun and her pajamas still on under her coat. She ran down the stairs and grabbed her purse, before turning to the group.

“Tammy, walk me out?” Tammy didn’t hesitate to stand up and follow after her friend. When they left the loft Debbie turned back around and took Tammy’s hand in hers. “I need you to do something for me. Something really important that won’t take too long hopefully.”

“What is it?”

“Lou she’s—she’s sick. I need you to go up there and keep an eye on her while I grab some meds. Please try to keep the others out. All that stimulation is going to make her worse.” Tammy froze at Debbie’s admission. She knew that on some level the brunette trusted her, but when it came to Lou there was no-one alive she trusted to care for her. She didn’t even trust herself, but she didn’t run because Lou wanted her around. The fact that she was leaving Lou to Tammy as monumental. So with a deep breathe and an internal steeling of her spine she spoke.

“I can do that. Keep your phone on you.” Debbie gave her a nod before heading out the door. Tammy took yet another deep breath, before entering back into the loft. Everyone was staring at her, awaiting an answer. They’d even paused the movie. Another retch echoed. “Debbie’s going on an errand. I’m gonna go check on Lou. In the meantime, go back to your movie. We don’t get together like this often, so let’s enjoy it while we can—ok?”

“It’s not much different than usual movie nights—usually Lou and Debbie escape halfway through to fuck anyway.” Constance joked. They all let out small chuckles, and returned to the movie hesitantly. Tammy kept an eye out for any lingering looks or curious glances up the stares before heading up. When she entered Lou and Debbie’s room, it was silent. Then another retching sound, followed by a pitiful moan.

Tammy crept closer to the bathroom. The lights were off but she could see Lou’s tall form curled around the toilet bowl. She flicked the light on to get a better look, but regretted it immediately. Lou gave a moan of pain and instinctually backed up against the wall. Her eyes were screwed tight enough to hurt, and her hands came up to protect her eyes.

“Turn them off! Turn the fucking lights off!” She wailed. Her own voice causing her to violently flinch. Tammy followed instructions almost immediately, her eyes wide with fear. She hesitated to step closer, but knew she needed to do something. For the first time since her children were born she was genuinely afraid.

Lou was an untouchable presence. Unflappable with her steel gaze and cool demeanor and killer fashion sense. To see her whimpering as she crawled towards the toilet bowl to vomit nothing but bile was heartbreaking. Tammy’s motherly instincts kicked in.

“Oh hun, what happened?” She questioned as loud as she dared. Even her subdued tone made the blonde flinch.

It seemed Lou couldn’t even speak. She was only capable of moving a finger up to her lips as a universal signal to shut the fuck up. Tammy nodded her head and knelt beside her. Silently and with as much care as she would have employed with her children, Tammy tended to her friend. From what she could tell, Lou was suffering from a migraine—A severe one at that. She didn't know much about migraines, but she knew enough to know that what Lou needed more than anything right now was care, patience and silence. After making sure Lou was at least out of immediate danger—resting her head against the cool closed toilet as she let out shaky breaths that sounded all too loud in the silent bathroom—Tammy ran to the hallway bathroom to get a cold compress. When she returned, the lid of the toilet bowl was open again, and even in the darkness it was clear Lou was paler than she had been mere moments ago.

Tammy pressed the cold compress to her forehead and rubbed her back. “Do you want to lay down hun?” She whispered.

Lou nodded but whimpered at the movement. “I want to but I can’t move. Too tired." She slurred. Tammy gave her a sad look.

“Will it hurt if I get someone up here to move you?” She asked. Lou shook her head no. As she headed back downstairs, she looked over the women in the living room. They were absorbed back into the movie of the evening— some vampire flick Amita had picked out—but the only one aware of Tammy’s presence was Nine. Tammy beckoned her closer with a finger and the woman was on her feet in moments. She slipped through the living room with ease and was at Tammy’s side in seconds.

“What’s the problem?”

“I need help. Come up and be as quiet as you can.”

Being quiet wasn’t a hardship for Nine, and before long they were standing in front of the bathroom, looking down at a shuddering Lou. She winced as Nine’s shoes squeaked against the floor.

“Who’d you bring up here?” Lou questioned.

“Just Nine. I think between the two of us we’ll be able to help you to the bed. Is that ok?”

Lou gave a grunt Tammy chose to believe was an affirmative. Nine took a cautious step forward. “I’ll take one side, and you take the other.” Tammy nodded and took a step forward as well.

Lou was lighter than she’d expected. Based on her height it would make sense that she was lean looking but deceitfully heavy, but she was light as a feather. Too light, as a matter of fact. As they wrapped her arms around their shoulders and eased her up Tammy’s side brushed up against Lou’s. She could feel her ribs.

Lou groaned between them and flinched at her own loud sound of pain. “I’ve gotta get back to the bathroom. I’m gunna puke again.” She croaked.

“I’ll go get a bin. Keep her comfortable.” Nine said as she eased the blonde down onto her bed. Tammy brushed away Lou’s bangs, internally shuddering at the warmth that radiated from her skin, and tried to keep her calm. Before long, Nine was back with a bin. After a few fruitless retches Lou collapsed back onto the bed. She curled up into a fetal position and was fast asleep in minutes. Tammy and Nine shared an unsure look, but any words that would have been exchanged were cut off by Debbie’s return.

She ran into the room and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Lou on her side. She looked over at her friends. “Thank you guys. I owe you one.”

“You don’t owe us nothin’. She’s our friend too—even if we don’t have the ‘connection’ you two have boss lady. If she needs anything else don’t hesitate to come get up one of us.” Nine said as she gave a salute and pulled a blanket up over Lou’s shivering form before leaving.

Debbie didn’t explain much of anything that night. After making sure Lou was stable and medicated up to her gills, Debbie escorted Tammy from their bedroom with a promise to explain later.

The next morning, they ‘went out for coffee’. And when they returned Tammy almost immediately moved her attention to researching preventative mechanisms and w coping mechanisms for Lou's almost monthly attacks.

———

Little did she know, both Nine and Constance were doing similar research. Nine’s Dad had suffered from migraines nearly as severe as Lou’s, so the symptoms hadn’t been at all unfamiliar to the woman. Of course, in the interest of continuity and their ‘mission’ she shared the information with Constance who—for the first time in her life—didn’t immediately freak out.

She may have ordered a couple dozen things on Amazon Prime for migraine relief ten minutes after Nine came to her. No-one had to know that though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is kind of short, so I'll post the next one today since it's ready. Thank you for all the sweet comments! I hope you enjoy!

The next bit of information came during a seemingly innocent game of truth or dare.The crew sat in Daphne’s hotel room in some cool European location. Daphne had arranged for them join her on location for her newest movie.No-one really thought to check exactly where they were going—they’d all just hopped on a private jet courtesy of their actress friend and made good use of the luxurious amenities she’d provided on the way. Now they were all in their pajamas, seated on a plush hotel room floor, all of them holding some sort of drink in their hand as a dark green beanie of Constance’s was passed around.

Inside were slips of paper written in Amita’s legible handwriting with Never Have I Ever prompts. They’d tried to do it the traditional way—whereeveryone comes up with their own Never Have I Ever prompts on the spot—,but things had gone south when they remembered that ,in essence, they were playing the game with a bunch of women adept in observing and profiling. They all asked questions they either knew or speculated the others had done and before long everyone was either upset or too drunk to function. So, Amita had been given the task of writing down a few prompts of the internet intermingled with a few prompts from each of the women to keep things interesting.

It was Rose’s turn. She turned red as she forced herself to utter the prompt. “Never Have I Ever had sex with more than two people in one day.” She read.

Daphne immediately drank. Across from her, Constance stared down at thecarpet with a confused stare. “Does that question mean with more than two person at _one time_ in one day—like a threesome— or more than two individual people at different points in the day?” She questioned.

Lou raised an eyebrow and when Rose didn’t answer immediately, she turned to her. “She’s got a valid point. In your professional opinion, which of the two is that prompt supposed to be asking?”

“Uhm well…” Rose read the prompt again. “I guess more than two people at one time. That's the first thing that popped into my head.”

Constance nodded solemnly. “Seems legit.” Then took a shot. Lou gave a deep chuckle as she drank. To Nine’s surprise, no-one else drank.

Rose passed the hat over to Tammy. She closed her eyes and picked out a prompt, reading it aloud in an amused tone. “Never Have I Ever taken more than one type of drug at one time.”

Lou and Debbie chuckled simultaneously and took a drink. Daphne shook her head at them but still drank. “I took coke and a pill that I still don't know what it was at the same time ONCE but I have the feeling you two did something way way wayyy worse.”

“Worse is a matter of perspective. I obviously didn’t die so it turned out ok. I got a good if a bit frightening buzz out it, so it felt worth it at the time. And Debbie was a lightweight once upon time, so she could only subscribe similar cocktail to the one you spoke of.” Lou laughed.

“And what about you? What did you mix?” Tammy questioned with a small, curious smile and a raised eyebrow. Nine let out a chuckle at the slightly embarrassed look that fell over Lou’s face.

“I honestly can’t even remember. It’s awful.” She laughed. “All I know is that I thought I went to heaven briefly whilst simultaneously being convinced flowers breathed. Then things started getting sketchy—I must recommend never _ever_ doing that _ever!_ ”

The group laughed at her convinced tone—which obviously spoke of a bad experience that taught her a valuable lesson— falling out onto each other as they enjoyed themselves. Tammy chucked the beanie over to Nine, who cautiously dipped her hand inside as she tried to catch her breath.

What she picked up was the last thing she’d expected to find, but in the midst of her laughing fit she read it aloud without consideration. “Never Have I Ever killed someone. Jesus—who wrote this?!” More laughter followed, but noticeably the rich sound of Lou's laughter was missing from the throng. The blonde wasn’t laughing, and after a moment or two of unsureness, she brought a drink up to her lips.

No-one was laughing after that. Not even Debbie, who seemed just as unaware as the rest of them.

They all shared a look. Constance and Nine unknowingly thinking the same thing—should they push? Should they question the blonde and try to get answers? The others were all frozen in surprise and shock, unsure of what to say or do. They all knew that Lou could have easily fooled them and not drank at all. But it was a testament to their newfound friendship that she did mention it. She wanted them to know, but by her silence she didn’t exactly want to talk about it yet. So they moved on as if they hadn’t just learned that Lou Miller fucking killed someone and finished their game with the same playful energy as before.

——-

The confession never left Nine’s head though. Days later, she worked up the courage to use the information gathered by Constance to do a thorough look into Lou’s claim. With help from a few international resources, Nine located the criminal record of one Anna-Louise Gardenia Miller. And what she found was both shocking and somehow fitting.

A much younger looking Lou stared up at the mugshot camera. Her face was bruised and her eyes sharp with both fear and anger. Her signature blonde locks were shaved off, leaving nothing but a tattooed bald head. The file of information that came with the picture was one Nine forced herself not to read, no matter how much she wanted to. She only allowed herself a glance, but that little bit of information was enough to catch three very important words:

First-Degree Murder.

She wasn’t even surprised. Lou was a skilled criminal, but there was something hidden behind her steel blue eyes that spoke of a hidden past. Of some darkness that kept her from going towards the light. They all had pasts. No properly adjusted little girl dreamed of growing up to become a criminal. But Lou’s was the most mysterious and by merit most likely to be the most dark. Murder fit into that narrative and Nine had learned enough about the woman she trusted enough to call a friend to know she had her reasons. Both for killing whoever it was she killed and for not telling anyone. So, as an act of trust, Nine deleted the files she’d acquired. Then, as a precaution, put up a firewall around the file in the Australian criminal database.

If anyone came snooping she’d be the first to know. And she’d handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of these are kind of dark but I can't help myself. I think it's my extreme desire to see Cate in some gritty action flick as a troubled, but proficient hitman type character that makes me write these things. I hope you still like it!


	4. Amita

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this one! I hope you enjoy!

Walking into the loft and being assaulted with the smell of burnt pastry was not an uncommon occurrence. Amita loved to bake and more often than not Tammy or Constance would join her on the days they weren’t working. What was uncommon though, was for anything edible to come out of what was lovingly dubbed as the ‘Baking Binges’.

“Is that what I think it is?” Constance questioned. Her voice full of awe. She and Amita were mirrors of each other, kneeling in front of the oven, eyeballing the beautiful piece of artwork that had just finished baking.

It was glorious. Stunning really. Covered in flaky crust and filled with what was hopefully a wonderful mix of berries, nuts and sugar. It was a simple dessert. A turnover. But it was a miracle child. Perfectly crisped and golden brown.

“I think it is….We’ve finally done it. We’ve made something edible.” Amita admitted. Her voice choked with tears of joy.

“Correction—I think we’ve made edible things before they’ve just burned. Bad.” 

Amita nodded in agreement.

Behind them, the front door opened. Constance peeked her head up over the kitchen island and shot Lou a smile. The perfect test subject. Lou was notorious for her picky eating habits. She was a perfectionist in everything she did, and in her culinary tastes even more so. She was a strict no beef, no pork, not too many processed foods type of person. But her one weakness in this world was baked goods.

“Hey Dad! We made you something!” Constance yelled as she popped up from behind the kitchen island. Lou raised an eyebrow in amusement. She dropped the mail on the hallway table and placed her hands onher hips.

“Is that so? What’ve you made me?”

“It’s a turnover…I think. I saw a recipe on some baking show. I wanted to see what would happen if I tried it.” Amita confessed. Lou peered over their shoulders to get a good look at. She gave an impressed raise of her eyebrow.

“It actually doesn’t look too bad.” She slowly admitted.Constance cheeredin triumph. Amita let out the breath of relief she’d been holding in. “What’s in it?”

“Cherries, strawberries, blackberries, sugar and a few peanuts…I think.” Amita slowly revealed. Her eyes sliding to Constance for confirmation. Constance could only give her an unsure shrug. Lou raised an eyebrow at them.Her gaze passed between them, about a hundred questions lingering in her steel blue eyes.

“You _think_?” Lou questioned.

Constance cleared her throat. “Well you see Dad, we got a bit overzealous.”

“Correction— _Constance_. ** _Constance_** got a bit overzealous. The original plan was to have half with nuts, half without but I can’t tell which ones have them and which ones don’t.”

“There’s a method to my madness I swear! The ones on the left side have nuts” Constance zealously pointed to the aforementioned left side turnovers. “and the ones on the right don’t.”

“Are you certain?” Lou questioned. Her voice suddenly taking on an edge of seriousness. Constance gulped. Amita could see in the wavering of her gaze that she was far from certain, but before she could say anything Lou was already moving. She locked eyes with Constance and reached her delicate hand out to grab one of the turnovers on the right. “I’m trusting you on this Connie.”

Constance gulped. “You can trust me Dad.”

Lou raised an eyebrow. “We’ll see about that.”

She shrugged as she took a huge bite.

Nothing happened for a few seconds. A look of pleasure fell over Lou’s usually stoic face. She hummed in delight. Then took another bite. An audible crunch. Then the wheezing started. It was sudden and violent both Amita and Constance were frozen in fear for a few seconds. Amita moved first. Her brother had been deathly allergic to nuts his entire life. Lou’s reaction was much too familiar to anything to be anything but a severe allergic reaction.

She grasped Lou’s shoulders, forcing her to lock eyes with her. Amita spoke slowly and concisely.“Where’s your Epipen Lou? Please tell me you have one?!”

Lou shakily nodded. Her hands trembled as she tried to grasp at her bag. Constance beat her to the punch, ripping the bag open and fishing the Epipen out. Amita grabbed it and without preamble slammed it into the meat of Lou’s thigh. She let out a weak gasp of pain, but as the medication coursed through her veins her breathing came easier. Constance unconsciously held the blonde tighter,and Amita let out a sigh of relief. She ripped the pastry out of Lou’s hand and chucked it into the nearest trash bin.

It took her a few more moments to gather her wits about her, but when she did Lou let out a choked chuckle. “Well shit. That was unexpected.”

“That’s the understatement of the fucking year—are you ok?! I’m so fucking sorry!” Constance questioned. Her voice taking on a high pitched tone as her panic grew.

“I’m fine. The meds are working and before long I’ll be in tip-top shape. I’m just a little tired, considering I haven’t had a reaction that bad in years. Letme guess—walnuts?” Lou asked.

Amita glanced over at the trash bin once again. She could see the discarded pack of assorted nuts hanging out of it. At the top, walnuts were listed in bolded print.

“Yeah. We’re so sorry Lou.”

Lou waved them off before they could work themselves up. “Neither of you knew anything. I’m not going to sue you. It was an accident and even if it wasn’t ,I wouldn’t be stupid enough to let you in on myplans for revenge straight to your face.” She gently dislodged herself from Constance’s grip. Amita’s gaze didn’t stray far from Lou’s slightly pale figure. Guilt was eating up her spine, threatening to make her fall over. She could feel the tears building up behind her eyes as the thought of just what could have happened began to overwhelm her. She pulled Lou into a hug.

She didn’t see the surprised look Lou shot Constance, and she ignored the slight stiffening of her body. “We’re both so sorry Lou. We never would have even made those stupid things if we’d known you were allergic. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m sure love. Stop worrying so much. You think this is the first time this has happened to me? I spent the majority of my teenage years sticking myself with those fucking pens because of assholes who purposefully shoved nut related food items into my mouth. You two are nothing like those asshats ok?” In a move very uncharacteristic of her, she pressed the palm of her hand to both of their cheeks. For the first time Amita truly understood why Constance was adamant about nicknaming Lou ‘Dad’.

There was something reassuring and calming about Lou’s presence that just spoke of Dad vibes. That couples with Debbie’s overbearing attentions at times and her mom-like behavior it only made sense for Lou to be the ‘Dad’.

They resisted the urge to hover when she told them of her plans to take a nap. It was a challenge, but they managed it until Debbie came home at least. Then Amita spilled the beans right away and Lou was hovered over like she was a child.

They let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Lou forced into a kangaroo onesie with a thermometer stuffed under her tongue, and a very worried Debbie standing over her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	5. Daphne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm sorry I couldn't get this out Friday. I struggled with these two but they're done finally and I like them. I hope you enjoy!

It was no secret that Lou was talented. Early mornings in the loft were often filled with the sounds of quiet guitar strings and rich toned hums. Or so Daphne had been told.

She didn’t get the chance to be at the loft as often as the others. Her career dictated she spend the majority of her time traveling, or attempting to portray a lifestyle she wasn’t exactly fond of on social media. Which meant more time spent taking pictures that looked like she was livingthe high life than living theactual highlife. (Though that aspect of her job was becoming less and less appealing and less frequent every hour she spent in that lovely loft. Those women were becoming the sisters she'd never known she needed and just their presence in her life made Daphne want for _more_.)It would have sounded ridiculous to Daphne a mere year ago—to feel so connected to women she barely knew and really only met when they began planning to steal a multimillion dollar necklace off her neck. But it was the truth. A truth Daphne was acutely grateful for as she dropped her luggage near the door of the loft and let out a quiet sigh.

Quiet, vaguely familiar chords of a well tuned guitar echoed through the living. Daphne could see the very top of a blonde head on the couch, and the neck of an acoustic guitar sticking out from the arm of the couch. She tooka step forward.

“Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and wouldn’t you love to love her?Takes to the sky like a bird in flight and who will be her lover?” A low voice sang. It was fitting that Lou’s singing voice be so smoothand melodic with just a hintof rasp. Daphne was mesmerized by it.

Lou was a good person. Painfully private but good. So having the opportunity to hear this was a miracle in and of itself. A miracle Daphne was keen to foster for as long as she could. She took a near silent step forward, but her heel made the slightest noise against the wooden floor. Lou shot up instantly, her eyes wide withalarm before ether came to rest on Daphne’s guilty face.

She rolled her eyes. “Hey Dollface—how was your flight?” She questioned.

“Long. Boring. But worth it because now that I can stop sucking my gut in and actually pig out while I hide here for a few days. Is Rose here?” Daphne asked.

“Not yet. She’s across town attending some event for some fashion institute. She said she’d be back for dinner. Nine’s working, Connie’s out shooting some silly video. Tammy’s grocery shopping and Amita’s on a date.”

Daphne raised an eyebrow at the noticeable lack of one mention for one particular person. “And where’s Debbie?’

Lou gave a mischievous grin. “She’s…resting.”

Daphne rolled her eyes. She could practically hear the implication dripping off Lou’s tone. She plopped down on the couch after grabbing a pack of tasty cakes. By the time she made it back to the couch, Lou had stashed her guitar somewhere out of sight but the memory of Lou’s calming singing voice and her skill on the guitar were not out of mind.

———

Later that night, Daphne lay on her back in the plush bed of the guest room. Rose lay on her chest, breathing in and out in a steady rhythm—occasionally humming as Daphne ran her fingers through her wild curls. Unconsciously, Daphne began to hum a tune. The one Lou had been singing earlier, though she didn’t know the name of it. After repeating the same verse over and over again for a few minutes, Rose lifted her head. 

“I didn’t know you knew Fleetwood Mac love.” She commented.

“Fleetwood what?” Daphne questioned, her eyebrow raised in a confused arch.

“Fleetwood Mac—the song you’re humming it’s Rhiannon. Well, the first little bit of it anyway. I thought you didn’t like music that wasn’t from at least a decade ago?”

“Okyou’re being dramatic—just because I didn’t know who fucking ACDC was doesn’t mean I’m so uncultured I only listen to the poppy creations of the last decade. Though I am unfamiliar with Fleetwood Mac…I heard Lou singing this song earlier this morning. She was playing guitar too—and well.”

“Really? I had a feeling she could play guitar. She just looks like the type of woman who would know—you know? But, I didn’t know she could sing. Ibet she started a punk band in herformative years." 

“I wouldn’t put it past her Rosie. That fits her M.O.” They made small talk for a few more minutes, Rose’s words growing more slurred by the second. Rose was asleep inrecord time but Daphne remained awake. Her mind buzzing.

She’d been meaning to find some way of saying thank you to Lou. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she admired the woman a great deal. Her friendship meant a lot to Daphne. Over the course of the past few months she’d come to grow really close to everyone involved in their little ‘heist family’ but Lou was the only one who Daphne hadn’t been able to read well enough to give something. She’d never overtly ask for gift recommendations—she was never so overt wither affections even with the others—but she’d listen for hints of interests and watch for ideas. But now, she had an idea. 

Daphne was giddy to use her extensive paycheck for something useful for once. 

—————

The perfect opportunity came a few weeks later. After a quick stint in LA, Daphne was back in New York for a meeting with her managerial team. She was bored out of her mind a few minutes into a lecture about her need for less PDA with Rose, but soon her attentions were captured by a familiar name.

“Both of you are going to be in attendance. If you could just try not to stick your tongue down her throat in the middle of a Fleetwood Mac’s set at— what I’d like to remind you—is a CHARITY CONCERT FOR ORPHANED CHILDREN we’d be forever grateful—”

“Did you say Fleetwood Mac?” Daphne interrupted.

Her manager—Linda. Poor, poor Linda—scowled at her. “This event has been on the schedule for months Daphne. You knew you were coming to this ball for at least 3 months. You had a dress fitting like two days ago. Fleetwood Mac has been listed since the beginning of the year.”

“I knew I was going to this event but I hadn’t recognized the name Fleetwood Mac until now.”

Linda’s scowl only grew. “Daphne—you know I love you—but what fucking rock have you been living under that you didn’t know who Fleetwood Mac was? I mean, you guest starred on that Stevie Nicks episode of America Horror Story like four years ago!”

“I was on the part of the episode that didn’t feature Stevie first and foremost and secondly—the rock is all called oppressive and borderline abusive stage parents and excessive scheduling. I didn’t listen to music unless it was for a part. But, all of that aside…Would you happen to have an extra ticket for this Charity Ball? I solemnly swear not the stick my tongue down Rose’s throat if you can get me a no strings attached tickets.” Daphne crossed her hands over heart and even added a pout for extra effect.

Linda and the rest of the team locked eyes, all of them considering the pros and cons of accepting this offer. In the end though, they knew there was only one option.

“Deal.”

—————

And that’s how Daphne managed to get Lou her birthday present. She got her birthdate from Nine and was ecstatic to realize it coincided with her plans. An all expenses paid front row ticket to a Fleetwood Mac concert. Though the concert was held in a very elegant hall, the experience would hopefully still be satisfying for a rocker like Lou.

She presented it to her in the most blasé way possible. It was movie night, and as the credits of To Wong Fu scrolled down the screen, Daphne cleared her throat and looked over at Lou who sat under Debbie's arm.“Oh Lou—your birthday is in like two days right?”

Lou raised an eyebrow at her. “Yes…why? What is this?”

Daphne reached into her purse and pulled out the printed ticket “An early birthday present. I hope you like it. I went through a lot of trouble to get it for you but it was worth it.” Daphne could feel the blush rising up her neck. She wasn’t accustomed to presenting her feelings so honestly, but the surprised look on Lou’s face made her discomfort worth it.

“I…I don’t know what to say…When is it?”

“Tomorrow. Put on your prettiest pantsuit and make sure to be outside by 7.” Daphne patted her back before practically running away to avoid any more emotions. She had anappointment for a manicure that evening and had her final fitting for the dress the next morning so instead of staying in the guest room, she stayed in a hotel to avoid being seen with any of the members of the heist family. It had been a year, but still—it was better to be safe than sorry. They did not need someone catching on or recognizing one of their faces from security footage then putting the pieces together. Another year maybe and they'd be in the clear.

Daphne arrived at the ball fashionably late as always, and after making the rounds with her fellow celebrities and enjoying her self approximately 0% because Rosewasn’t next to her and that sucked ass—she made her way to the stage. Her security walked her to the front of the large crowd of socialites who’d paid for their tickets to bolster their social standing. No-one in the front row really seemed invested in the set. But one person was.

In the very front, with tears threatening to fall downher face, mouthing the words to Landslide (Daphne’d taken time to listen to the majority of their popular songs so she wouldn’t be completely out of the loop) was Lou Miller.She was gazing up at the band with a look that could only be described as adoration. Her gaze flickered back and forth between the members but never once did her lips ever falter. She knew every word.

And for the first time in a long time, Daphne was grateful for her celebrity. Grateful that she was able to use it to give her friend an experience she deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by a one-shot whose name and author I can't remember for some stupid reason. Daphne notices that Amita likes Taylor Swift so she organizes for her to get front row tickets. I loved that idea and wanted to pay tribute to it by putting my own spin on it. When I find the name of the fic and its author I'll be back to mention them. I hope you enjoyed!


	6. Rose

Rose hated New York winters. She was a naturally chilly person, so being stuck in a city that was perpetually distressing whilst being cold and jostled by the passersby was the perfect combination for the worst kind of nightmare.But she couldn’t miss this meeting. She hadn’t been in months, and despite her current happiness could feel herself struggling. So, she’d forced herself up out of bed on a cold Saturday morning to get support by hearing the struggles of fellow former addicts. But bloody hell did she regret it now.

“Why didn’t you want to take a cab again?” Daphne asked beside her. They were both trudging down the streets of a snow covered New York in oversized coats and oversized sunglasses, hand in hand.

“I can’t remember the reason why now—but I swear it was a good one. We’re close, so let’s just push for a few more minutes then we can call a cab on the way back.”

“Alright—you’re so lucky I like you. I wouldn’t do this for just anyone.” Daphne joked. To ensure Rose knew it was a joke, she squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture.

Rose looked up at Daphne and gave her a shy smile. “I know darling. I’ll make it up to you later I promise.” She gave her best wink and internally congratulated herself for making Daphne blush.

The walk was still arduous but it didn’t last for much longer. It was a miracle hey made it inside on time. Right on time it seemed, as the coordinator was just standing to greet everyone.

“Hi guys. My name’s Cassie—I’m an addict.” She gave a nervous wave.The group responded simultaneously with “Hi Cassie.” She told a bit of her backstory and her mission for organizing a NA group in New York. They were a relatively small group, but Rose had stumbled upon them a few years ago during the height of her addiction. When her anxiety had seemed like an impossibly strong tsunami and the pills were the only thing keeping her from drowning. This was the only place Rose felt safe enough to confide her struggles in for a long time.Work had been so busy she hadn’t had time to return, but it seemed to right time to return.

A few other people went after Cassie, all of them giving either an update of their lives or an account of a recent relapse. Then, the last face Rose expected to see stood. Even with her sunglasses on she was unmistakable. And the imposing figure beside her was unmistakable as well, now that the attention had been turned towards them.

She cleared her throat before speaking. Her hands were buried in her pockets as she let her gaze wonder from wall to wall, pointedly avoiding looking in the eye of any one person.“Hi. I’m Lou. I’m an addict.” The group with the exception of Rose and Daphne—who were too struck by shock to say much of anything—greeted her as they were supposed to.

“I don’t come to things like this often. I like to think I’m this pillar of strength. That, since I made the choice to get my shit together then I can _keep_ it together.” She gave a bitter snort and shook her head. “That’s a lie. But…I’ve been doing well recently— about 15 months or so totally clean.” They all applauded. “I had 4 years under my belt before I uh…lost someone I cared very deeply about. Then I spent five years killing myself once again but I’m…I’m in a good place now. My partner found this place for me and I thought I should give it a shot. I’m excited I guess to have a place to come vent my addict related tendencies and behaviors…So uh, yeah. Thanks for listening.”

She sat down quickly as more applause came and Rose could see Debbie’s hand come to rest supportively on her thigh. Cassie asked again if someone wanted to speak, but Rose was too choked up with confusion and shock to say anything. The meeting went by tediously but by the end of it—when they were all shaking hands and preparing to leave—Rose gathered the courage to approach Lou. Debbie saw her first but didn’t say anything until Lou did. The tall blonde raised an eyebrow.

“I thought that was you in the corner. You know—just because you put sunglasses on doesn’t hide the signature mop on your head.” She joked.

“Duly noted.” Rose responded with a snicker. Debbie cut in then, her gaze flickering nervously between Daphne and Rose.

“We can all share a cab if you’re heading back to the loft.” She offered.

“We were planning on it actually. If that’s alright?” Rose asked.

“It’s perfectly fine.” Lou calmly said. She and Rose shared a look. A silent pact passed between them. An agreement not to tell anyone else what had been shared today, but to also provide support if needed.

———

A few weeks later, Rose found herself on the verge of a breakdown on the stoop of the loft.

It had been a rough week. Full of bad luck and breakdowns and about a million and one things going wrong. Rose was overwhelmed. And to top it all off Daphne was busy shooting some tv show, so she wouldn’t be in New York for another week at the least.Rose felt so alone and not for the first time she just wanted her mind to shut up. She was tired of the painful thoughts and the swirling mass of hurt that lingered in her chest. Her breathing was quickly becoming out of control and she feared she’d spiral into a panic attack. A warm hand came to rest at her back. Another slid something around her wrist.

“Snap it against your wrist. It’ll help distract you.” Lou’s low voice said. Rose did as instructed reluctantly, and after a few minutes she could feel the difference. Her breathing came easier—if with a bit of effort—and eventually she was able to bring herself down to a manageable rhythm. The entire time, Lou’s hand never once strayed from the comforting circles on her back. “You feel better yet?”

“A little yes—I’m sorry you had to see that.”

She snorted. “Oh please, you were about to have a panic attack. Something 100% out of your control. Don’t make it seem like me being here to support you could in any way be an imposition. I'm glad I could share some of my tips and tricks to help you cope.” She took Rose’s hand in her own and gave it a firm squeeze. They didn’t speak. Only let the cold night wash over them, reminding them of what it was like to feel. It was a comfort.

[My Tumblr](https://moonlitmidnight-1.tumblr.com)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize that I haven't linked my tumblr here so, if you want come say hi! If you're a fan of the show Once Upon A Time I have a few fics for the pairing SwanQueen. I only just sensed a pattern in my preference of fan fiction writing...blonde badass and brunette smol bean who could most definitely kill you..oops. Hope you have a good day!


	7. Debbie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I was gone so long. The last few weeks have been so stressful and weird. I had the worst case of writers block for this story and on top of that my new job was so busy it exhausted me to the point where I could barely think let alone write. I hope you enjoy this! The next chapter should be up soon! 
> 
> TW: Mentions of Self Harm

Knowing someone for nearly 20 years allowed a certain amount of understanding—naturally. Knowing that person becomes much like knowing yourself after a certain point. Debbie knew Lou like the back of her hand.

Debbie knew Lou disliked the sound of thunder. She knew how much Lou like the sound of the rain. She knew how much Lou loved a warm hug and loved being the big spoon after a long day.She knew that Lou was allergic to all nuts except peanuts. She knew that at age 12 Lou had attempted to stow away on a cruise ship and made it about twelve hours before finding one of the employees and begging to be let off because of her seasickness. All of those facts—all of those memories shared mostly under the cover of darkness, in some shitty hotel room’s bed or broom closet—and Debbie still managed to be surprised all these years later.

“What is this?” She questioned. Her voice echoing around the bathroom of the master bedroom.

They lay in a warm bubble bath. Lou’s back rested up against the back of the tub. Debbie lay in her arms, her head nestled under her chin. Lou’s long limbs wrapped around the brunette in a warm but firm hug. Obviously unconsciously attempting to keep Debbie in place (as if she’d ever leave again). Her arms were just above Debbie’s breasts, but when she’d shifted a few moments ago Debbie had seen it. A tattoo. New, but not super new. Healed but still obviously newer than the others Debbie had vivid memories of tracing with her fingertips and tongue.

“A tattoo.” Lou stated.

Debbie rolled her eyes. “I can see that. But it’s new. I haven’t seen in before. When’d you get it?” She pulled Lou’s arm closer to inspect the artwork.

It was a snake wrapped around her wrist. It was thick, but still delicate in a way that had nothing to do with anything other than it’s meaning. The snake was swallowing its own tail, and even though it was clearly stagnant, Debbie swore she could feel the constant movement of the push and pull. The never ending cycle.

“About a year ago I think. During a dark time I got it as a reminder…”

“A reminder of what?”

“…A reminder to keep going.” As she gazed down at it, darkness pooled in her eyes. For a moment, Debbie regretted mentioning it. It was obvious the story behind it was darker than she’d made it out to be, but she hadn’t been able to stop her curiosity from taking over. Luckily, Lou didn’t seem to mind. She only wrapped her arms tighter around Debbie and rested her head on the brunette’s shoulder.

Debbie forced herself not to mention it again, even though her mind was reeling was plans and questions.

xxx

It was odd realizing that other people were getting to know the real you. During so many times in her life, Debbie had worn masks and pretending to be things she wasn’t to protect the real woman underneath. But with the squad involved in the Toussaint heist—the group that had been lovingly dubbed as the heist family—that didn’t seem possible. In the beginning she’d been standoffish and just naturally there was a degree of standoffishness Debbie exuded, but at the end of the day she cared for the women like her family. She showed them more than hardly anyone else alive had gotten the chance to see, which was both a blessing and a curse.

“What’s got your panties in a twist boss lady?” Nine questioned as she plopped down beside Debbie on the couch. It was a Sunday morning. Lou was out on a run, Amita was out getting breakfast with Constance, Daphne was working and Rose was sleeping. Tammy sat a few feet away, pretending not to be eavesdroppingon the interaction.

“Nothing…I think.”

“That makes totalsense.”

“Oh fuck off just…give me a minute. I’m not used to trying to vocalize my feelings ok?”

“I can respect that. Understand it even. Take your time I guess.” She said beforegrabbing a bag of chips from her purse and taking the remote from the coffee table. 15 minutes into a documentary about some Michelin star restaurant, Debbie spoke. Nine was all ears, and Tammy pretended she was too invested in her book to be all ears as well.

“Lou got a tattoo.”

Nine didn’t reply for a while. “I…Why do you sound so upset about that? I thought she got some when you guys were together?”

“She did. That’s part of the problem. Lou isn’t impulsive. At least not when it comes to art. She makes sure that the tattoos shegets mean things to her. She got a new one while I was in jail and she won’t tell me about it.”

“How’d you find out about it then? If she didn’t tell you?”

“I saw it. But when I asked about it she didn’t tell me much about it. Before, she would tell me the whole story and now she just…” Debbieknew shesounded juvenile. She knew that this wasn’t as serious as her mind was making it but she didn’t want to dwell on the truth of her distress for too long. She was afraid. She hated not knowing things, especially when it came to Lou. They were partners. They were a unit. Debbie had fucked things up—true—but things were supposed to be better now. And they were for the most part but this…this was making her question everything.

What if Lou had gotten it with someone else? If so, did Debbie really have the right to be as upset as she was? She was then how ran off with some dickhead and got sent to jail because of her lack of insight and self awareness. Not Lou. And if Lou had found someone else, even if for a short amount of time what did that have to do with Debbie?

She gulped.

“Get out of your head so much boss lady. You and Lou are meant to be, no matter what happened in the past. If it really bothers you as much as it seems to, talk to her.” Nine suggested, in a tone that was borderline nonchalant. Debbie knew she was right, and knew that theonly logical course of action was to talk to Lou, but she was afraid of the answer she’d get if she asked the question.

xxx

She tried to ignore just how much that stupid tattoo bothered her. It was ridiculous that something so small could shake Debbie’s confidence and remind her of all the insecurities she’d kept pushed down. She tried to keep her doubts and questions hidden but she knew it was a matter of time before Lou confronted her about it.

They lay in bed nearly a week after the first time she’d seen the tattoo. They were both breathing heavily as they tried to recover from the vigorous ‘exercise’ they’d been engaged in nearly seconds ago. The blanket was on the floor somewhere, the toy alongside it along with the harness. They were pressed together, skin to skin, chest to chest. Lou had one arm wrapped around Debbie’s waist, while the other lay at her side. Unconsciously,Debbie traced the tattoo carefully. Such a small thing and yet it had scarcely left her mind since she’d seen it.

Lou sighed slightly. “It really bothers you doesn’t it?”

“What?”

“The fact that you don’t know everything about me.”

“I do know everything about you. Would you like to me to list off the facts and remind you of just how long we’ve been doing this dance?”

“No. I don’t need a reminder. I know you know me but you don’t know everything. Especially not the parts of me that resurfaced during the time you were gone.”

Her words silenced Debbie for a few seconds. She gulped before forcing herself to speak. “Is it a matching set? Did you get it with someone you were with while I was gone?”

“No Debs. No I didn’t it’s…it’s more than that.” She simply said. But that wasn’t enough for Debbie. She gave a frustrated sigh and moved to sit up when Louforced her back down. She forced her hand back to the tattoo. “Stop overthinking it Debbie. Just touch the damn thing.”

Debbie tensed as she obeyed. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but the last thing she was expecting was lines of scarred skin. There was no mistaking it for anything other than what it was. Debbie gasped. Pain filled her chestas she tried not to cry. “Did you…because I was gone?”

“It wasn’t all about that Debbie. It wasn’t all about you. I just…I was in a bad place. I fell back into some old habits and I wanted to feel something familiar. Even if it was pain. It was a mistake. And when I realized that I got the tattoo to cover it. The snake is a variation of an ouroboros—the symbol representing wholeness. I needed to be reminded that I waswhole by myself. That things keep going even when I feel like they are ending. I didn't tell you when you came back because I felt…embarrassed even thinking about explaining it to you. It sounds so stupid when I say it out loud.”

She felt stupid for pushing. Stupid for assuming something so juvenile when the reality was so much more gut wrenching. The sheer thought of one of those cuts going deep enough to do something irreversible—the thought of having to live without Lou—made Debbie want to throw up. “It doesn’t sound stupid. It hurts to hear because it’s real. I wish….I wish I had been stronger. Smarter. Then maybe you wouldn’t have—

“—Let’s not think about that right now. It’s over. You’re back, I’m stronger, we’re together and safe. Let’s not talk about what happened or what could have happened. Ok?”

Debbie hesitantly nodded against Lou’s chest. They fell into silence then, and Debbie held on tighter than she’d ever held on before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed. Happy New Year!


	8. Lou

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sad this is over so soon! But I know it's for the best. I'm planning on eventually writing a full blown story that is slightly related to this one. So, keep an eye out for that! I thoroughly enjoyed writing this one and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much for reading and for your patience and your sweet comments!

It was a Sunday morning when **_It_ **happened.

Sunday mornings were usually reserved for binge watching tv shows and eating junk food together as a little family. Most everyone was adhering to that tradition.Constance lay with her head in Nine’s lap and her feet in Tammy’s. Tammy was carefully painting her toenails some obscene color whilst multitasking between that and watching the newest episode of The Walking Dead. Daphne and Rose were cuddled up per usual, but Daphne wore a face mask that was genuinely terrifying. Debbie was in the kitchen, glancing back at the tv as she filled a bowl with cookies and pretzels for herself and Amita to share.Everyone was in their pajamas, no makeup, hair messy. It was perfection. They were just missing one person. It wasn’t uncommon for Lou to miss a movie night/binge watching session to care for her bar. But it was Sunday morning, which was the one day she was guaranteed to be in the loft.

Technically she was still in the loft, but she had locked herselfin her bedroom after her phone rang. Her low voice could be heard through the walls as she spoke to some mysterious person. The floorboards creaked as she paced.

“Who called her?” Constance asked Debbie. Debbie—to everyone’s surprise—shrugged.

“I don’t actually know. The number didn’t seem familiar but it was obviously important. I’m sure it’s fine.” She said, though the trembling in her voice and her nearly constant glancing towards the door of the bedroom spoke of how nervous she was.

Ten minutes later, Lou was finally done. She came down the stairsin a hurry, having changed out of her pajamas into dark jeans, a band tee and a leather jacket. Debbie quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Where are you going?What happened?” Debbie questioned.

“Family emergency. Daph—Can I borrow your jet for the day?” Lou questioned. Her voice was full of tears. Instantly, everyone was on high alert. A sea of seven worried faces stared at Lou. She resisted the urge to face palm. She hadn’t meant to worry everyone, but she couldn’t keep the emotions at bay much longer. She was already using all the energy she could possibly imagine holding herself back from running to the nearest Airport and flying to Texas on the nearest flight. But she knew she was still a wanted woman and entering an airport with her very fake passport a year after the Toussaint heist was a bad idea.

Hence requesting Daphne’s private jet.

“Of course. You can take it as long as you need it. I’m off for the rest of the month so—no worries here. Are you…will you be ok by yourself?” Daphne questioned hesitantly.

“I…” She wanted to say yes—she’d be fine. She was always fine—Always a fortress of stoicism and perfection. But she wasn’t feeling that right now. AS much as she didn’t want to admit it—Lou was scared shitless. And she needed support.

So she shook her head hesitantly.

Instantly, her little band of misfits shot up off their couches. Tears came to Lou’s eyes. One even spilled onto her cheek as she watched her family support her with such ease. They didn’t even bother getting dressed, they just grabbed bags, a few pairs of clothes and toiletries and kept it moving. Daphne forced a notepad into Lou’s hand. “Write the address of the place you need us to go down. I’ll call my pilot on the way to the private strip.” She demanded and assured simultaneously.

In a flurry of movement and chatter they were in a rented car and on their way to Daphne’s private landing strip in half an hour. Lou was silent the entire way, her knee bouncing in stress and her bottom lip forced to endure the abuse of her teeth in a nervous gesture.Lou handed the little strip of paper to the pilot on their way in. She settled herself into a seat near Debbie. Her hands were trembling and her entire body felt cold with fear. She tried to hide her reaction, but it was a useless endeavor. Tammy found blankets and practically tucked Lou into the plush chair. Nine brought over a cup of tea—perfectly made of course—and Rose brought a few snacks she always kept stashed to distract herself when she needed it.

They hovered like overprotective mothers as the plane steadied in the sky. Constance reached out to touch Lou’s knee. She gave it an awkwardsqueeze and one of those dad pursed lip expressions— but her words were far from awkward.“We’ve got you Dad. Whatever’s going on—we’ve got your back.” She promised. Lou had never heard Constance so 100% percent serious. She blushed the tiniest bit and squeezed the young woman’s hand.

Lou couldn’t gather the words appropriate to say thank you, but her expression said everything.

xxx

They landed in front of a large farm house. It looked expensive and well taken care of. When the plane had taken off again, with instructions to return to the exact spot when called again, Lou headed off towards the garage.

“Whose house is this Lou?” Amita questioned. The group followed close behind Lou, taking in the house and all of its intricacies. It was clear someone cared for the place and was here frequently. But they knew Lou hadn’t left New York since returning from California nearly a year ago. So whose house was it?

She tensed the tiniest bit at the question from Amita. But she answered honestly. “It technically belongs to a man names Richard Platt. But he’s been dead for the past 35 years.”

Constance’s eyes widened. “Did you kill him?”

Lou looked away and shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Daphne mumbled. “You’re hardcore.”

Lou chuckled. “You don’t know the half of it dear-heart.” She took a set of keys and opened up a pickup truck. She tossed another set to Debbie. “Take the Minivan, we’re gonna need both to transport our brood to where we’re supposed to be going.”

They didn’t protest even if the questions currently flying around all of their minds were nearly impossibly to ignore. Debbie took Daphne, Amita and Tammy in the minivan while Lou took Constance, Rose and Nine in the pickup. It was a tight fit, but it worked all the same.

Debbie followed close behind the pickup in the unfamiliar terrain. It took nearly 15 minutes to get to their destination and it was the last place any of them expected to end up on this trip. A hospital.

xxx

At the desk, Lou asked for a BethAnn Wilkes. They all knew it was an alias, but they couldn’t think of any female in Lou’s life who could be in a hospital in Texas. From what they understood, her family was in Australia. It would have made more sense for them to fly there. But there they were in some backwoods town where even the doctors wore cowboy hats and boots.They directed her to the noncritical unit easily.On the way , Debbie asked the question that was on everyone’s minds. The difference was that she was not as afraid to ask the question as the res of them were. “Can you give us anidea of what to expect in there?”

“Nothing too serious just…I panickedbecause this is the first time I’ve gotten a call like this since she moved here. I was afraid it was connected to more…sordid parts of my past but it seems I was mistaken.” They arrived at the hospital room in record time and Lou didn’t waste any time opening the door.

An elderly woman lay in the bed, her hair long, wild and gray. She was asleep, but even in her sleep she cast an intimidating figure. Lousmiled softly down at her and swept a strand of gray hair away from her forehead.

“Will?” She whispered. Instantly, a hand had an iron grip on her wrist and a knife was up to her throat. The others gasped in pure shock and almost left to call security when Lou gave a low chuckle.

“I come all the way out here to make sure you didn’t kill yourself and this is the welcome I get. I love you too Gran.”

“Gran?” Constance accidentally questioned out loud. Lou still smiled and held her grandmother’s hand as she introduced her friends to the most important woman in her life.

“Gran meet my crew—my family. Guys—meet my last remaining relative... Gran otherwise known as Wilhelmina Astoria Miller.”

“God that’s a mouth full. Just call me Will.” The older woman said in a heavily Australian accented voice.Her voice was low like Lou’s and her eye piercing. She held out her hand to Debbie first. A smirk filled her face. “I’ve heard lots of thingsabout you. All of you. It’s a pleasure to meet you—even if it’s under such shitty circumstances.” She pointed down to her leg and left arm in a cast.

“Well, that’s what happens when you fall off a ladder trying to stash money you technically don't need Gran. You’re lucky nothing worse happened.” Lou scolded.

“I’m not lucky. The worst case scenario has happened officially. I worried you so much you came here and brought your entire family with you. You didn’t even come this fast when I got shot.”

“That’s because you got shot in the shoulder and you were 20 years younger. You’re nearly 90 old woman—falls like this could be death sentences.”

“Well, death can suck my ass. It’s failed to pick me up so far, I doubt it has any interest in me anymore.”

They went back and forth for a while, forgetting at times of their visitors. Not that the heist family minded. It was a marvelous sight, Lou so open and vulnerable with a member of her blood family. Just being in the presence of someone related to Lou was consolation enough for having to sit in silence and listen to them bicker.Eventually they stopped, and Will turned her attentions on her newest family members. She accepted them easily, and probed them much the same way Lou would have. And Lou just sat back and watched as she terrorized and simultaneously charmed the crew.

A wave of gratefulness filled her. She’d done so much in her life—too much to deserve an experience like this. But she was thankful for it nonetheless.

She was thankful for her family, and thefact that it had grown so perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had way too much fun writing Will. I have a whole backstory for Lou in my head--like, it's actually ridiculous. Will was actually the first little one-shot I thought of when I considered writing for this fandom. I thought it would be a fitting ending for this. Like I said above, if you're interested in this becoming a series of 7+1 related to the Ocean's 8 ladies let me know! Thanks so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have a beta so all comments, criticisms, suggestions and feedback is welcome! Thank you for reading!


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